Levopimaradiene synthase explained

Levopimaradiene synthase
Ec Number:	4.2.3.32

Levopimaradiene synthase (EC 4.2.3.32, PtTPS-LAS, LPS, copalyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase [abieta-8(14),12-diene-forming]) is an enzyme with systematic name (+)-copalyl-diphosphate diphosphate-lyase (abieta-8(14),12-diene-forming).^{[1] [2]} This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction

(+)-copalyl diphosphate

\rightleftharpoons abieta-8(14),12-diene + diphosphate

In Ginkgo, the enzyme catalyses the initial cyclization step in the biosynthesis of ginkgolides.

Notes and References

1. Schepmann HG, Pang J, Matsuda SP . Cloning and characterization of Ginkgo biloba levopimaradiene synthase which catalyzes the first committed step in ginkgolide biosynthesis . Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics . 392 . 2 . 263–9 . August 2001 . 11488601 . 10.1006/abbi.2001.2438 .
2. Ro DK, Bohlmann J . Diterpene resin acid biosynthesis in loblolly pine (Pinus taeda): functional characterization of abietadiene/levopimaradiene synthase (PtTPS-LAS) cDNA and subcellular targeting of PtTPS-LAS and abietadienol/abietadienal oxidase (PtAO, CYP720B1) . Phytochemistry . 67 . 15 . 1572–8 . August 2006 . 16497345 . 10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.01.011 .